A RIVALS REVENGE Blue Streaks take Class AA semifinal, 34-26, at Shen
CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. >> Revenge is a dish best served on a chilly October night on your rival’s home field.
One week after the Saratoga Springs football team didn’t have what it takes to defeat its rival in the regular season finale on the road, the Blue Streaks returned to Steuerwald Stadium renewed, reinvigorated and more than capable, advancing to the Section II Class AA title game with a 3426 win Friday night.
The Saratoga offensive unit was effective, the Blue Streak defense was outstanding, the visitor’s special teams unit became a huge playmaker and the rivals, compared to last week, looked inspired.
“I think we came out with the intensity that we’ve played with all year,” Saratoga Springs Coach Terry Jones said. “Last week Shen was pumped up last week and they came out firing and we didn’t respond.”
Last week Shenendehowa established the line of scrimmage early and often, coming out in its hurried offensive set and ran the ball at the Blue Streaks, and ran, and ran and ran. A near-perfect coldweather option, gain ground, own time of possession to limit the quick strike Saratoga offense.
This week, it was the Blue
Streaks’ turn.
“I think they came off the ball better, they controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball,” Shenendehowa Coach Brian Clawson said. “They switched their front up a little bit versus our Tiger (offense), we couldn’t run the ball, and we had trouble throwing the ball. It was a totally different scenario.”
The Plainsmen gained eight yards in its opening drive on two carries on a three-and-out before Saratoga scored just seven plays later when quarterback Jake Williams hit Christian Kondo for a nine-yard pass. Three plays earlier the duo connected for a 25-yard gain, something that didn’t happen last week.
Shenendehowa regained its composure and responded with a 14play seven-minute scoring drive, as junior Billy Beach ran the ball 10 times for 56 yards. A missed extra point made it 7-6 and appeared to set the stage for a backand-forth, ground versus air offensive storyline.
Instead it became a Blue Wave with a positive spin for the Green faithful.
Saratoga senior Carter Steingraber made his first highlight clip from the night a memorable one, returning the ensuing kickoff 83-yards for a Blue Streak score for a 14-8 lead.
The two rivals traded quick offensive outs before Steingraber added highlight No. 2, a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the second half for a 21-6 lead.
The Plainsmen regrouped once again and quarterback Brendan Belott hit sophomore Dyvante Terrelonge for a 29-yard pass and run, setting up big tight end, senior James Altenburger for a nine-yard TD catch in the middle of the end zone, cutting the lead, 22-12.
The ghosts of last week appeared again for the Blue Streaks as a pass from Wiliams to Kondo was on and off his numbers, then ruled a fumble recovery by Shenendehowa at midfield with three minutes left in the half.
Belott found Terrelonge for a huge 53-yard pass and catch before the Blue Streaks stood their ground on the goal line.
Three plays inside the five yard line moved the ball four and a-half yards before Clawson called a time out with 42 seconds left. As the crow readied for a big play, a potential double reverse, half back pass or something out of the ordinary, it was a quarterback sneak that failed to break the plane of the goal line.
“We had to get six inches, the quickest way to get six inches is to go straight ahead,” Clawson said. “We controlled the line of scrimmage the whole game last week.
“If we can’t get six inches on a quarterback sneak, we don’t deserve to win.”
Out of the half the teams traded swipes, runs, broken passes and broken plays leaving the outcome still not clearly defined until the senior with the big name delivered once again.
Carter Steingraber capped a Saratoga sevenplay, 65-yard scoring drive with a 20-yard touchdown catch in front of his teammates and visiting fans.
Down two scores the Plainsmen were forced to throw the ball and Blue Streak defensive back A Saratoga Springs student celebrates on the Shenendehowa turf with classmates after the Blue Streaks defeated the Plainsmen Friday night in the Class AA semifinal. Will Bonacio intercepted the second attempt of the drive, returning it 24-yards for another score and a 22-point Saratoga lead, 3412 in the AA finale.
The Plainsmen rallied and gave the Blue Streak coaching staff more than enough points of emphasis for their film review in the final stanza.
Shenendehowa recovered a Saratoga fumble at midfield, took advantage of a 15-yard Blue Streak penalty scored three plays later, Belott to senior Carson Singh with 9:33 left.
The Plainsmen then successfully recovered its onside kick attempt and then converted two fourth-andlong situations.
Belott hit Altenburger for a 25-yard conversion over the middle and followed-it up with a 37-yard connection once again to Terrelonge before Billy Beach scored from two yards out, cutting the lead, 34-26 with seven minutes remaining.
Saratoga moved the ball, but not with the efficiency as it did in the first half, failing to convert its own fourth-down, but Kondo came up with the third Blue Streak interception of the game on the first attempt by Shenendehowa.
“I think we had them in fourth-down and long, once was 4th-and-25, something like that and they were able to complete it,” Jones said. “Before that we had them 4th-and-15 and they threw the ball to the big tight end (Altenburger) and I’m pretty good we had three kids there and two of them hit him and he still hung on to the ball. Sometimes you have to tip your cap and realize why they are here as well.”
The Blue Streaks will face Shaker, a 27-15 winner versus Guilderland, Nov. 2 at the University at Albany for the AA title.
“To be playing Week 10 again, I couldn’t say anything more than them, it’s all them,” Jones said. “I couldn’t be more proud.” ELMONT, N.Y. >> The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) has canceled live racing on Saturday at Belmont Park due to dangerously high winds associated with a strong coastal storm forecast to impact Long Island and the New York metropolitan area throughout the day.
In addition to heavy rain and coastal flooding, the National Weather Service has issued a high wind advisory calling for gusts of up to 50 mph.
The Belmont Cafe and Aqueduct Racetrack will
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